Anyone else with a DOHC 2.3 litre Four?

[Hedgedog 74]

Greetings all. I live in Europe, and have a newly acquired 1995 Trans Sport which, for its smaller, good performing engine, seems a rarity. Is there a source of specific info for this different motored model? All the handbooks I check DON'T have this motor listed, and as I live in a desert when it comes to car servicing, I intend to fix all myself. Prime concern is the Monroe Ride Leveller which is inactive, but looks like an original equipment fixture.
Thanks for any advice you can offer,
HD

[LMP]

Welcome on this forum. I'm just amazed that a TS ended up in your country...
INdeed I'm not sure which engine is this 2.3...may be a European Open engine..highly possible; there are GM 2.3 engines on this side of the pond but they were never offered here on this model.
Which transmission do you have?
About the load leveller, you mean those inflatable rear shock absorbers, well Monroes are not the original...but indeed they are what I have now on my own, after the original passed away.
I have the diagrams for the complete load leveller system, that is made of the compressor unit, transfer valve inside the car, rear left, and control unit, middle of car, under floor, abore rear axle.
All of the above went haywire on mine and replacing it was way too expensive, so I just did with new Monroe inflatable shocks and a generic low price air compressor as sold for inflating tires in an emergency....and that's it, no longer automatic, just man controlled now.
I know there are several owners of 2.3 Transports on FOrumAUto in France http://www.forum-auto.com/marques/Au...ut-Pontiac.htm but this is in French. If this language is a stranger for you, I can help and ask questions .

[Hedgedog 74]

Hey thanks.... It´s a 5 speed manual box, all in great shape till the exhaust got noisy up by the manifold today, but I have a good local bod, no speaky eenglish, who´ll weld it up OK, unless it is a muffler blown... we´ll see. I also have the 195-65-14 tyres, can you advise what pressures I should run, especially heavily loaded? Thanks,
HD

[LMP]

I'll ask those in France and tell when I get the reply; I'm just wondering what it will look like with those small tires.....as all here are with 205 or 215 x 70 x 15".....if you can take a picture, it could be shared with others on this forum...and by the way, take a pic of the engine bay also....and a pic of the gear shifter inside ....we only have automatics here....
.EDIT: ..ok then..from the info I received, it is a US GM engine, like Chevrolet Beretta, so quite easy to have info from sites like autozone.com, or,. for parts, from rockauto.com

Are you sure the tires are 14"? I tried a "spare" 14" rim on mine a few years ago and it would not clear the disk calipers .....Pressure for 205 x 15" tires would be around 2.3 kg/cm2 , or 33 psi, or 230kPa,

[nicke66]

Yes, you are right. The 2.3 engine is indeed a GM engine. GM made 2 models especially for the european market between 93 and 96. One with the 2.3 engine and manual transmission, and one model with the 3.8 engine and 4 gear automatic transmission. Both models had the old (ugly) front end also in the years 94-96. I guess about half of the Trans Sports sold in Europe this years was with the 2.3 engine.

I am sorry to say this, but the 2.3 litre engine was a total disaster with notorius head gasket failures, along with other serius failures!

A good sorce for information about the 2.3 litre model is the german web site: www.pontiac-transsport.net. Of cause, you need some knowlages in the german language, but there are pretty good web translators nowdays.

About tires, most Trans sports in europe was sold with 205/65 R15. Even with this tires the Trans Sport looks ridiculous. I can´t imagine was it would look like with 195/65 R14!

[Hedgedog 74]

Yes, my error, they are 15" rims, 195/65/15, which I don´t mind for economy; We think gas in Slovenia is 'cheap' at eqivalent to US$5.96 a gallon. We´ll see with the motor... it seems sweet, and we don´t push it, as we constantly find oncoming cars on our side of the road here, and we liked the idea of a good supply of iron in front in case we have another head on..
We like the plastic body too, and are not worried about looks; here the most overdone creations are commonplace amongst the peasantry, and we wouldn´t have one if it was given to us. (have you seen a Renault Vel Satis?? Have you heard about the number of computer malfunctions that have killed their drivers??) We´re wary of computers, and we don´t like leaving the operation of a car to them very much...

[Jrs3800]

The 2.3 DOHC Quad 4 is a good engine until something goes wrong, and usually its a head gasket, or a water pump going out causing the head gasket to get cooked.. Always hated working on the Quad 4.. Care for it, never let it get hot and it will last a long time..

As for the Load Level system.... Do you have the Inflator station on the rear drivers side?




Finally if you do have that Option, the pump should sound like this...

[Hedgedog 74]

Thanks for the encouragement! We will look after it for sure.
We do have the load leveller panel as you´ve shown, but it has been tampered with, and I think I will be not only troubleshooting it but installing new rear shocks as the current ones look as if the rubber 'boot' part has terminal acne.... I guess the rubber perishes, but either a clever rebuild, as the shock absorber function is fine, or total relacement, are the only options.
I had a backyard mechanic rebuild a set of Citroen Boge shocks with a vast improvement on the original performance, but whether one can get replacement boots for the pneumatic part I haven´t a clue. I´ve been emailing Monroe European HQ with no response; I guess their mission does not hark back to '95.
HD

[Jrs3800]

Thats the good thing about being state side... We still have an abundance of parts for these things...

I have Monroe struts to go on the front of my 95 TS... As well I will get a new set of Monroe Max Air shocks for the rear, and will most likely get new stiffer progressive springs for the rear..

Only reason I got the one I have was it was a friends and it had the 3800 Tuned Port engine( 95 was the last year of production for that motor )...

Keep us informed..

[Hedgedog 74]

I'm really impressed with this Forum; information is a tough one here in Slovenia, and I´m grateful for all your input.
We´re waiting for a new digital camera to arrive, and we´ll post pictures shortly.
HD

[Hedgedog 74]

Can you quote a part number for the Monroe Max Air shocks? We´d like to research a pair over here. Also, I´ve been trying to get a service manual covering the 2.3, and by the time I get the answer to that question on eBay, they´re sold.....
HD

[Jrs3800]

Looks like the Max Air will be Monroe # MA809 These are sold in pairs over here

[nicke66]

A good source for parts for Trans Sports, incl. the quad 4 engine, is Cars & Stripes in Germany (www.cars-stripes.com). They have a very good parts catalouge possible to download. It´s in german, but have a lot of good pictures! Cars and stripes answer to mailed questions in english, and ships part to any country. Prices are higher than in US, but shipping time is faster and there are no import taxes inside Europe.

[Hedgedog 74]

Thankyou! Cars&Stripes have already shown they´re onto it; I have prices and information, and they are HALF the price of the local parts shopå here in Slovenia, so that´s all good. I drove the car to the exhaust repair place today and they 'couldn´t find the noisy exhaust' which is making a real racket to my ears. I´m guessing a slight leak at the junction with the exhaust manifold; It looks like there are spring-loaded bolts in that assembly, but you V6 guys won´t have the same.... I´m suspecting a fibre gasket will be necessary there, not just a wad of gasket gunk. Any ideas?
HD

[Jrs3800]

Oh no we do have a spring loaded design, but its a Donut gasket that seals the surfaces..

You will most likely have what looks like a metal washer thats parked between the down pipe and rear manifold that seals the 2 together..

Chances are that washer/gasket needs to be replaced on yours..